In a significant development in the South Calcutta Law College gang-rape case, the Kolkata Police on Friday re-enacted the horrific incident in the presence of the main accused and three others, including the arrested security guard. The reconstruction, which began in the early hours of the morning, lasted for nearly five hours and is expected to play a crucial role in corroborating the victim’s statement and during the trial in court.
According to sources, police reached the college campus in Kasba around 3:00 am with the main accused, Monojit Mishra, an alumnus and TMC’s student-wing leader, along with his alleged accomplices Pramit Mukhopadhyay and Zaib Ahmed, both are students of the institution, and 55-year-old security guard Pinaki Banerjee. A heavy police presence was deployed in and around the college during the reconstruction, which continued till 8:00 am. After the process concluded, the police escorted the accused back into custody.
The entire re-enactment was videographed, and investigators also carried out a 3D scan of the crime scene to gather spatial and positional evidence. "The reconstruction of the incident is a vital part of our investigation. The findings from today will be matched against the victim’s complaint and other material evidence," a senior official Kolkata police’s detective department said.
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Earlier, police had brought the victim to the scene to help recreate the events of June 25, the night she alleges she was assaulted. According to her statement, the ordeal began around 7:30 pm and continued until nearly 11:00 pm. She alleged that an attempt was first made to rape her inside the college’s union room. When she resisted, she was taken to the guard’s room where she was raped by Monojit, while Pramit and Zaib allegedly assisted him. She also claimed that when she tried to fight back, they attempted to beat her with a hockey stick. The guard reportedly did nothing to help.
Investigators have already collected seven hours of CCTV footage from the college premises covering the timeline of the incident. A total of 16 persons, including Vice Principal Naina Chatterjee, have been questioned. The police have also reviewed the phone records of the accused, which indicate that Monojit contacted college officials after the assault.
Monojit is an alumnus and was working at the college in a temporary capacity. His co-accused are current students and affiliated with the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad (TMCP).
Further deepening the case, it has emerged that the main accused had 11 previous cases registered against him, including allegations of harassment of women. A practicing lawyer at Alipore Court, Monojit was recently removed from the State Bar Council.
Initially, a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to handle the case. However, the investigation has since been transferred to the Detective Department of the Kolkata police, which is now leading the probe. The police on Thursday added another section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with offences related to abduction.
Meanwhile, after a prolonged closure triggered by the shocking alleged gangrape incident on campus, South Calcutta Law College in Kasba is set to reopen its doors on Monday, July 7. However, key areas linked to the crime — the union room and guard room — will remain sealed as the police investigation continues.
The decision to resume academic activities comes after Kolkata Police granted formal permission to restart classes. According to sources, the college’s Vice Principal Nayna Chatterjee contacted a senior official in the Higher Education Department following the police nod. The matter was discussed at a management committee meeting, after which the reopening was finalised. A formal notification will be published shortly on the college’s website, an official said.
Classes will begin at 7:00 am on Monday, though the atmosphere on campus remains tense. The guard room and union room, identified as the primary locations linked to the incident, will stay locked.
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